Salt-N-Pepa: We're 'here to stay'

Hip hop trio Salt-N-Pepa say they're not taking a break from music any time soon, as their music is "here to stay"

Salt-N-Pepa say their songs are "here to stay".

The hip hop trio - consisting of Cheryl 'Salt' James, Sandra 'Pepa' Denton, and Deidra 'Spinderella' Roper - were one of the first all female rap groups when they formed in 1985, and despite a brief split between 2002 and 2007, the group insist they're not quitting the music business any time soon.

Pepa, 50, said: "A lot of our fans, they always say Salt-N-Pepa and Spinderella was the soundtrack to their lives ... We're just not going anywhere. Our songs are here to stay."

The 'Push It' hitmakers are currently embarking on the 'I Love The 90s' festival tour which sees them play shows with the likes of Vanilla Ice, Sugar Ray, and Coolio, and Pepa admits she loves to watch the other acts and revel in the nostalgia of the decade that catapulted them into fame.

When asked if they watch the other acts on tour, Pepa said: "Yeah, I always watch the show. I do love watching the show. It's fun! And I watch the audience, and I see the joy and the happiness -- they're really into it. A lot of times they'll even come dressed as the '90s."

DJ Spinderella, 45, agrees with her band mate, saying the 90s was an "incredible era" for music.

She told Billboard magazine: "When you say 'the '90s,' it's just nostalgia. The '90s was an incredible era for music, hip-hop, pop culture - just everything. People want to go back. And Salt-N-Pepa - we were literally in our prime."

The artists playing at each date of the tour changes frequently, and so the line-up is constantly evolving. It is unknown how many shows the 'Shoop' rappers are set to perform, but Pepa says the festival as a whole is set to continue into 2018, after having already racked up 100 gigs in 2016. This year will see the festival travel through the US, as well as Canada, Australia, and England.